54 things to love about Asia from 54 travel bloggers

Aaah. Asia. The biggest continent in the world. Asia has 50 countries in total. Read on to find out what travel bloggers have to say about this continent.

“I love that anything goes in Asia, there are no rules and nobody would follow them anyway. People drive on the wrong side of the road, take their babies on motorbikes and as I write this at a busy cafe, there is a fluffy pet bunny running around at my feet. What health code?”–Alexa Albanese

Enjoying fresh coconut. (Photo courtesy of Alicia Mae)

“The abundance of fresh coconut water- I loved how you could find this stuff everywhere, and drink it straight from the coconut! Exotic fruits and beautiful rice paddies!”–Alicia Mae

“I just love the smiles. Asian people are always so kind and ready to help when you look lost, drop something or generally are curious about where you are from and what made you travel. I am surprised how often people just approach me, wanting to get to know me. At first I was totally put off and put it down to sheer nosiness (and it was slightly creepy, too when I was interrogated out of the blue), but they mean well.”–Annemarie Strehl

“I love that everytime you walk past a group of kids they are all eager to practise their English and shout whatever they know at you. ‘Hello!’, ‘I like icecream!’, ‘Dog! Cat! Elephant!’”–Bettina Tynan

“To me, Asia is as different as any place can be. Asia has different food, different architecture, and entirely different looking letters. When I visit Asia, my mind is on full alert because everything is so unfamiliar. All of my senses are awake when I am in Asia. That is why I love Asia.”–Charles McCool

“The growing awareness of local tour operators and attractions regarding responsible tourism. People want to observe rather than exploit animals and they are changing their ways!”–Diana Edelman

Ruins of Asia (Photo courtesy of Erin M. Tracy)

“One of the things I really love about Asia is the history. One of my greatest passions is history and Asia has that in overflowing abundance. I loved being able to travel around and see how different countries and cultures preserve the traditions of their ancestors. And the ruins. Oh my goodness. The ruins. Every country in Asia has amazing ruins with fascinating stories behind them. The people of each country are so proud to show off the ruins of their countries and are happy to tell the stories behind them. It’s truly wonderful.”–Erin M Tracy

“1. Asia brought us to some of the most fun hikes with the best views! 2. Asia had some of the deepest most interesting history like the Killing Fields in Cambodia. 3. Full cities in Asia, like Luang Prabang or Angkor Wat are UNESCO Heritage Sites! 4. You can get a whole full body massage for $10. 5. Despite devastation, Filipinos are so unbelievably positive and happy with a huge smile on their face. 6. A young coconut can fix everything.”–Jenn Malka

“I love transportation in Asia! You can experience everything from a tuk tuk on some of the busiest streets in the world to a river boat crossing to an overnight train in the span of one day!”–Jennifer Zivic

“One of my favourite things was the business hours. Often you’d see signs that said “Open till Close.” The atmosphere of everything and everyone not running such a tight ship like in North America is refreshing.”–Lauren Marinigh

“I love how incredibly kind people are in Asia. When I was traveling in both India and Cambodia, the locals on public transportation insisted on sharing their food with me. It’s remarkable to see people willing to share what they have with you even when they don’t have much for themselves. It really warmed my heart how giving and selfless the people in Asia are.”–Lavi Nair

“I love Asia because of the infusion of religion and culture into daily life.”–Michelle Weigold

“I would say that the breadth of culture and tradition across Asia is one of my favourite things. Each country is unique in its history, language, religion, traditions and values, yet each one is deeply rich, inviting and beautiful.”–Moriah Kent

Asia is just so unique! (Photo courtesy of Paula McInerney)

“We are very frequent visitors to a lot of Asian countries because we love the culture, the food, the sounds and thesmells. We enjoy the noise and best of all we love the people. Each place is quite unique and we feel at ease in Asia.“–Paula McInerney

“The ultimate beauty of this continent comes from its diversity. Wherever you go you may be shocked by different cultures: traditions, languages, life style, and skin colors, but you are also spoiled by various beautiful smiles, warmhearted locals, and affordable delicious food.”–Relinda Puspita

“I love Asia firstly because it is close to Australia and affordable once you get there. Their cultures are completely different to anything we have at home. It is a great place for kids to experience cultures different to their own and to appreciate what we have. The food is amazing and it is affordable once you get there. We need to consider these things as we are a family of five.”–Sally Lucas

“I love that you can walk down the street and be absolutely overwhelmed by the amazing range of food at amazing prices! You’ll never go hungry there and you’re bound to try weird and wonderful things (half of which you’ll never really know what it is) that is cooked fresh with incredible seasonings and spices. It’s enough to make me want to live there!”–Sophie Saint

Have a tea or coffee while petting a bunny! (Photo courtesy of the Travel Sisters)

“We love the total life experience in Asia. It is so different and so outside what we are used to in the United States that you can’t help but adapt and change. It’s great to see how the other side of the world lives.”–Wanderlust Explorers

CAMBODIA

“Those Roti carts in Cambodia where you can get sweetened condensed milk AND nutella grilled fresh right in front of you for less than $1USD?!?!?!?”–Meg Ten Eyck

CHINA

“I loved bargaining with vendors! And I loved how everyone in China wanted a photo with me, a typical American looking girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.”–Caterina Natale

“Is hot pot from China original enough? Because seriously I ate that EVERYDAY when I was there.”–Jennifer McMurtry

Tea time in China. (Photo courtesy of Laura Lynch)

“The thing I love most about Asia is the tea culture. China is the top producer of quality tea in the world and has a long history and culture of tea drinking that has been passed along to many other Asian countries. I love that it’s a way of life there. They take it very seriously.”–Laura Lynch

“I love the energy in Asia, especially in China. It feels like the future to me, even though it has thousands of years of history.”–Sheila Scarborough

Just hanging out in China. (Photo courtesy of Will Tang)

“One of the big reasons I love Asia is that whether for good or for bad, it is always a surprise what you’ll discover. For most people and myself included, places like China are a big unknown and so when you go to a place like Mount Hua just outside of Xi’an, and stumble upon Plank Walk, you’re completely blown away. It probably also helps that safety regulations are not as tight in China haha!”–Will Tang

HONG KONG

Eating delicious Hong Kong pastries. (Photo courtesy of Mary Chong)

“The thing I love the most about Hong Kong is the food — especially the pastries and egg tarts freshly baked and warm from the oven. Resistance is futile when practically every street corner has a bakery with a glass pass through so you don’t even have to step inside the shop to satisfy the craving!”–Mary Chong

INDIA

“I absolutely love the food and colours in India! My taste buds can’t get enough of the delicious food whether from the streets/restaurants or just home-made recipes.”–Menorca Chaturvedi

ISRAEL

In awe of the beauty of Israel. (Photo courtesy of Sarah Gallo)

“Trekking from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee is NOT to be missed! Following the steps of Jesus and His disciples, whether you are a believer or not, is bound to be a humbling experience. Despite the political and religious turmoil of the region, there is something undeniably special about Israel and all that it offers. No matter where you come from. The locals I met were amongst the most genuine and kind that I have ever encountered.”–Sarah Gallo

JAPAN

“People are so unbelievably polite in Japan! In Tokyo, people line up along the left side of the escalator so that others may pass. In Osaka, people line up along the right side. In airports, people stand back from the luggage carousel so that everyone can see their suitcase coming around. And, it is so safe! You can walk around at 2 am by yourself without having to worry. Bikes are parked along sidewalks and aren’t even locked into place. It truly is one of the safest places in the world.”–Brittney Chantae Stephens

“Finding tiny dive bars in Tokyo and having an oolong-hai while chatting up the locals. One bar even let me DJ.”–Hannah Dawn Madigan

“I love Asia, mostly because of the friendliness of the people. In Japan, I had an experience of waiting for the bus and it was only slightly starting to rain, but an old lady rushed out from her house to give me her umbrella (which I politely had to decline). Something like this never happened to me anywhere else. I think there is so much to love about Asia, like food or landscape, but the people are so warm, it’s great!”–Julia Mondabon

LAOS

“I fell in love with the peaceful and mountainous scenery of Laos. The country provides a lot of freedom to experience their culture and are inviting to travelers. It was also a bonus to find the best curry for $3USD.”–Sabrina DuFran

MYANMAR

The fantastic view of Ngapali Beach in Myanmar. (Photo courtesy of Angie Remsen)

“It was refreshing to go to a Ngapali Beach, Myanmar where there was hardly anyone there. I wonder what is going to happen to this beautiful country in the future now that it is open to tourism. I found the Burmese people to be very friendly and welcoming to foreigners. Some have never seen white people before. I definitely enjoyed my time there and hope to go back in the near future.”–Angie Remsen

NEPAL

Magnificent view as you zipline in Nepal. (Photo courtesy of Lizzy Rose Toleman)

“Flying through the Himalayas was something I just could not miss out on. The zip line has a vertical drop of 2,000 feet and a distance of 1.8 kilometres, that makes it the tallest and steepest zip line in the world, and when you have the wind on your side you can reach speeds of 140km/h (87mph) The closer to the top I got the more I started shitting myself. It was an experience I will never forget.”–Lizzy Rose Toleman

PHILIPPINES

“We all know that Philippines is a paradise but what truly wins my heart is the hospitality of the Filipinos. Everyone is always welcome to a Filipino home. Filipinos are always eager to feed their guests, too.”–Justine Kimoden

“There’s nothing quite like the beaches and friendliness of the locals in the Philippines!”–Kate Heceta

“Korean beauty shops! So many cute and innovative products at good prices.”–Melissa Hogan

Asians love sharing! From Tourist to Local shares with her co-workers a pack of Oreos sent to her from the U.S. (Photo courtesy of From Tourist to Local)

“I lived in South Korea for a year and my favorite thing about the experience is sharing: The Koreans are so great about sharing. If someone wanted to bring an orange to work, they would not just bring one for themselves. They would bring one for everybody in the office as well. I also caught the sharing bug while I was there and ended up sharing any American goodies that I received in a package from home, or cooking food and bringing it to coworkers or friends.”–Tourist to Local

“Night markets in Taiwan, because the food and shopping rock my socks!”–Rebekka Lien

THAILAND

“I was amazed by Thailand’s natural beauty, and by how friendly and kind the locals were. I spent a week in a rural area about an hour away from Krabi, and everyone always greeted me with a smile or wave. Even in the tourist areas, the Thai people were always genuinely kind and helpful. One woman even chased me down after I left my debit card behind. Also, the food is delicious and cheap!”–Allison Newell

“One of my favorite things is the kindness of Thai people. Everything from helping me out when I was obviously lost, to being patient when teaching me Thai words, to somehow getting me to enjoy small talk (which I normally don’t) and much more! I heard so much about Thailand being the land of smiles but I didn’t truly get it until I got there.”–Ashley Elizabeth Hubbard

“The locals are so relaxed and easygoing! In Thailand, I crashed my motorbike into the back of a guys truck and smashed his light. Everyone came to their windows and naturally all that I could hear in my head was “shit shit shit”. Despite not being able to speak any English, he calmly communicated to me not to worry. They know causing drama isn’t going to fix anything so they just don’t stress about it! Mai pen rai!”–Gemma Louise Glynn

“The Hill Tribes in Northern Thailand are a fascinating people and area to discover in the Northern Regions of Thailand. You can take an organized tour to visit their villages or even do an overnight stay in some of these hilltop towns.”–Noel Morata

“I have had my homebase in Bangkok since 1999. To have a city that big, and the people are sooooo warm and friendly, I do not think that could ever exist in the US. I think Bangkok is the greatest city in the world!!!”–Scott Eddy

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Enjoying the beauty of an Asian desert. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Melroy)

“I love the Rub’ al Khali desert. This desert fills the space between Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. There are a couple of resorts and oasis in the desert but other than that its empty. I enjoyed spending time in the dunes. The lack of people makes the area peaceful and a quiet place to spend time reflecting watching the stars without light pollution.”–Jennifer Melroy

Amazing list, it was awesome to read and now I’m totally longing for Asia! It’s my favorite continent for all of the reasons listed 🙂Katrina the Two Week Traveler recently posted…Never Make a Bucket List

Great post, Justine! There are just so many reasons to love Asia! I visited Southeast Asia recently for my first time and fell madly in love (specially with the Philippines 🙂 The landscapes, beaches, sunsets and oh, yes, the nicest people ever 🙂Ana recently posted…Your ultimate guide to EL NIDO – Palawan (Philippines)